But I do like looking back on the little moments throughout week that are kairos, you know?

Because I really do forget all of these little details as soon as they're gone.

I'm exhausted. I'm sure you are too.

But looking back through our days and weeks makes me happy.

I was so spoiled this week.

My aunt & cousin came out from Texas and we stayed on Mission Beach.

For a whole night. Without kids. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh...

And we sat on the porch and drank wine and ate Trader Joes concoctions

and walked around the beach and rode the rollercoaster and doodled and painted and slept in.

We had a great 4th of July. I loved it, actually. Mellow.

Barbeque and firework and bubbles, and of course I forgot to take pictures.

Watching fireworks with friends and their cute kids...

I love this picture of Darryl and Josh,

my mom and Jack watching fireworks.

They were thrilled.

I have been stalking this blog ever since Judy Giusta Facebooked it.
Whatever you do don't read it if you don't want to get on a plane
and fly to Russia and adopt 2 precious little souls with me. Tomorrow.

Don't tell my husband.

I love this book. I think I'm the last person on the planet to read it.

Wednesday, July 3

There are so many ways to use and alter photos in your art.
Today we are just going to paint over them. That's it! Easy. Fun.
because you don't have to be a great artist and create something from scratch.

You will need:
Color copies or ink jet printed copies of your photo
*Tomorrow we'll be creating transfers which require laser copies,
so if you are already at the kinko and making laser copies, make a few extra.

Everything else you need for all the other days...
paint
paper
gel medium
brushes
etc.

I keep my photos & copies in folders by subject.
Aren't I so organized? I just impressed myself.
Really, I just made these files, but I keep them in a big heap in a drawer.

Then I took them to Kinkos (I know the name changed, but it will always be kinkos in my book.)

and enlarged them & made color copies.

It's really fun to play with the colors and density and the settings on the copy machine.

***Secret Tip: The people that work there really appreciate it when your 2 year old pulls out all the candy and runs around the store and you take 30 minutes just to put it back and they beg you to leave while they clean it up because they just can't take it any more.

These are my great grandma Dorothy's teacups.

Love them. I really want to do something with them.

This is Quail Gardens.

Love all the succulents.

More flower fields...

Okay. Let's start.
1. Gesso
I started with gesso and paint and dragged it around the page with a paper towel.

2. Paper
I glued some paper scraps down with gel medium
and then tore up the color copies and glued them on top.
The gel medium is still wet here, so it looks opaque,
but it dries clear.

3. Paint
This picture is horrible in my kitchen lighting in the middle of the night,
but I just painted on top of the copy. That's it.
I also painted around it and added some paint details.

Here it is closer...

4. Sharpie.

And more detail with Sharpie.
i went a little overboard.
Here is the final page.
And I don't like it one bit.

The colors just look harsh & ug to me.
But it's done and it's journaling and it's all about the process, right?
Here are some more details...